Dental Implant Suitability

When anyone loses a tooth it is essential to consider having a dental implant replacement, in order to prevent adjacent teeth drifting or tilting and to ensure chewing is well balanced to protect the remaining natural teeth. Dental implants can help replace missing teeth at the front of the mouth in order to improve your smile and restore confidence. Back teeth can also be replaced to restore chewing and provide stability in mouths where tooth loss is leading to damage to the remaining teeth. 

However, implant surgery may not be a suitable dental solution for all patients.

 

What Can Affect Your Dental Implant Suitability?

Dental implant suitability is always judged on a patient-by-patient basis, after consultation with your dental implant surgeon. Lead by Dr Gary Moynes, with over 30 years of experience in dental implantology, we offer a comprehensive and detailed assessment of your dental condition. Then, after listening to your wishes, provide the options that will provide your desired outcome. However, there are a few things that may affect your suitability for dental implant surgery, including health conditions and lifestyle habits that could act as risk factors for prospective patients.

 

Short And Long Term Medical Conditions

You might not be suitable for dental implant treatment if you have certain long or short term medical conditions. These can include uncontrolled diabetes, blood clotting disorders, cancer, and problems with the immune system. Some of these conditions affect bone density and soft tissues, as well as suitability for surgery generally - and may affect whether you are suitable for a single implant or several. 

Prospective patients with Parkinson's disease, as well as certain autoimmune diseases, are also at greater risk of infection or implant complications. Osteoporosis and other bone deterioration diseases can also have the potential to contribute greatly to implant complications, reducing the suitability of dental implant treatments. 



Gum Health

The gums and jawbone both play a very important role in the success of dental implants. The titanium root of a dental implant fuses with the jawbone to stay in place. This process is called osseointegration, and it will fail if the jawbone isn't dense enough to secure the implant. In some cases, oral surgeons are able to overcome this limitation by grafting bone tissue from other parts of the body.

Gum tissue provides further support and protection for implant roots and a platform for the crown to rest on. Gum degradation presents another obstacle for implant installation because it is usually a symptom of periodontal disease. Patients with periodontal disease will often continue to lose gum tissue unless they make significant changes to their dental hygiene habits, and the risk of infection after implantation is greater.

 

Lifestyle 

Tobacco and alcohol use can both inhibit healing in gum and bone tissue, and tobacco smoke promotes dry mouth and increases the risk of infection. Abstaining from these and other recreational drugs will reduce the chance of implant rejection. In particular, heavy smoking can affect the healing process and may be bad for the long-term health of gum and bone surrounding the implant. Stopping smoking will considerably increase the success of your implant treatment.

 

Which solution is right for you depends on your dental needs and suitability for specific treatments, bone availability and the cost of treatment. Many patients about to lose their teeth also have the option of a fixed temporary replacement on the same day as the teeth are extracted and implants placed, often called “Same Day Teeth” or “Teeth in a Day”, which also avoids the wearing of temporary dentures even during the treatment.

 

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